Game Of Survivors: The Hunger Games
by BigJoeb123
Summary: In a Panem where the Hunger Games never happened, the 74th games is upon us. Jake Demener will do anything to protect himself and his family, in a world where children aged 8-18 can be reaped, careers are present in 4 Districts, and gamemakers force tributes into mandatory battles. A shocking story about family, betrayal, and revenge. Let the games begin! Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys. So I had tried to write a crossover story between Harry Potter and Star Wars earlier, but I lost inspiration and found no way to continue it. For a while, I have wanted to write a Hunger Games story, but my own version of things. This takes place in the same universe of Suzanne Collin's original book series, but with completely different characters and a few tweaks added. I will try to complete this story, and be patient as I trudge my way through what I think are the boring parts (training, interviews, etc.). So, here is my story. Enjoy!**

I wake up in my bed, knowing my parents have already left for the morning. Since it is reaping day, they must go down to the Justice Building bright and early, as all previous victors in each district do. Years back, my father won the 49th Hunger Games at age 15 and became the first victor for District 12. The next year, my mother was reaped, and Dad was her mentor. They fell in love, and Mom says that was one of her main motivations for staying alive. Her Hunger Games was a Quarter Quell, which means a big twist was added to the games. For this Quell, four boys and four girls were selected from each district, and they fought in separate arenas until 12 people remained. Then, they combined the 12 boys and 12 girls to fight to be the final victor. So basically, my mom had to survive two Hunger Games.

I walk down the hallway of my house in the Victor's Village to my twin sister Melanie's room. I knock on the door, and she opens it after about a minute. Her hair is very messy, and it is obvious that she just got out of bed.

"What are you doing? We only have like an hour and a half before the Reaping if we want to go hunting," I say.

"We don't have to go every day, you know," she says. "Especially days like today. We haven't gone hunting on Reaping day since, you know." Melanie looks down at the ground.

"I know, but I thought we would be ready," I say quietly. I know what she's talking about. The cruel thing about the Hunger Games is that from the time you turn eight to the time you turn eighteen, you are not safe. It is one of the cruelest things about this country, they way they can throw vicious teenagers in with little kids. Although anyone under age twelve rarely gets reaped, it does happen. That's what happened to my little brother, Dylan. About three years ago, when he turned eight, he was reaped. Nobody knew what to do, what to say. My parents told me he was very brave throughout all of the training and mentoring. All of us had hope when he lasted down to the final eight people, with an older girl from District 11 helping him get along. However, when the final eight's paths crossed during a mandatory feast (where the final eight tribute must attend or be killed by gamemakers), an 18 year old boy from District 8, Emilio Harford, killed him. The girl from District 11 fought him and ended up killing him after being too late to save Dylan. She ended up being killed too, and the girl from District 4 ended up winning. The point is, this time of year is always hard for us, and we haven't gone hunting on Reaping Day since Dylan died, since he always hated seeing me with my spears.

Melanie goes back to her room, and I decide it is probably best not to go hunting today. Next, I go to check on my youngest brother, Max. He is eight this year too, and has been fretting a lot about the upcoming games. Every day, I assure him he will not get picked, but I am not so sure myself.

"Max," I say as I go into his room. He is sitting up in his bed, obviously deprived of sleep. "Did you stay up all night?"

He nods his head. "I couldn't sleep, Jake. I'm scared." I sit down beside his bed. And he hugs me. "I should be more scared than you. Do you know how many times my name is in that ball?" This gets me a slight smile from him, but I can tell he's still scared.

"Come on. Get all in your nice clothes and washed up. We leave in an hour and a half." I leave the room and close the door on my brother, who I noticed was shaking like I had never seen before.

…

District 12 is one of the less populated districts, so Reaping's are not always very crowded. However, if you put the entire District in one area, it is a lot of people. Melanie goes and stands over in the 16 year old girls section, and I quickly walk my little brother to the eight year old boys section. He is still shaking.

"Hey," I say to him one last time. "You will be ok. I won't let anything happen to you." I walk away from him, over to the 16 year old boys section. I look around and notice many other people saying goodbye to their siblings. I notice my mom, dad, and the mayor sitting on stage, all in chairs next to each other. We watch the video about the Dark Days, and then our escort, Effie, appears on stage. My stomach drops. Time to start the Reaping.

"Welcome, to the 74th annual Hunger Games!" she exclaims. She does a little golf clap, but nobody else does. This is her 5th year of this, and she still doesn't realize that nobody in our District likes the Hunger Games. Pathetic. After an awkward silence, Effie exclaims, "Well, time to get started! Ladies first!"

Effie reaches her hand into the clear bowl, filled with many slips of paper. She picks one right of the top, and opens it. I see the expression on her face change a little bit as she opens the paper, from excitement, to confusion. It looks like she s trying to figure something out. Then, she seems shocked. Snapping back to reality, she returns the smile to her face and announces the name. "The female tribute is Melanie Demener!"

Fear and panic set in. I hear a gasp from the front of the boys section, which is probably Max. My mom stands up, but my dad pulls her back down. She looks like she is about to faint. Melanie bravely walks up to the stage. Effie is forcing a smile. That's why she looked so shocked. She knew that last name from when she reaped Dylan three years ago. There is only silence.

Effie breaks it by saying, "Shall we do the boys?" Effie walks over to the bowl on the side where the boys sit. All I can look at is Melanie. How could this happen, another one of my siblings being chosen to fight to the death? It all seems unreal. Effie reaches down into the glass bowl and rummages her hands around in it. She opens the paper and doesn't even try to hide her from this time. She stutters as she reads off the name of a shaking little boy in the eight year old section.

How could this happen? It seems like there would be a 1 in a trillion chance of both of my sibling's names being called, especially after my other brother already died in the arena. I am frozen. I can't see straight, and then I have a thought. I will not freeze. I will not let another young child, another of my parent's young children, die in the arena.

"I volunteer as tribute!" I yell from the crowd. Max had just been getting on the steps to the stage when I volunteered. He looks shocked, my parents look shocked, Melanie looks shocked, and everyone who knows who I am looks shocked. I run up and meet Max as he is getting off of the stage. He has tears in his eyes.

"Don't do this Jake. Please!" he pleads.

"Let me go!" I say, irritated at how this entire day has panned out. Max sulks back to his place where kids wait to be reaped, and I make my way to the stage. Effie looks relieved that she won't have to send two siblings to the arena, but little does she know.

"Excellent!" she exclaims. "May I have your name?"

"Jake Demener," I say. Effie frowns again.

"Oh my," she says, shocked. "Was that your brother?"

"Yes. And that's my sister. Twin sister, in fact."

Effie is confused. She has never been in this situation before. So, she just goes along with procedure. "Well," she manages to say. "Here are your tributes for District 12 in the 74th Hunger Games. Melanie Demener and Jake Demener." There is silence as she takes my sister and me away, separately, to say our final goodbyes.

 **So did you like it? Leave a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello people who will still read this, sorry it has been so long since I last updated. I have been very busy with school, and summer was the last time I was free. Before I start the story again, I would like everyone to know that my dream job is to become an author or director when I grow up, and feedback really helps. We do not have a lot of creative writing opportunities at school. With that, here is chapter 2.**

I am completely frozen in my chair in the dark room. My mind races as I try to process what exactly what just happened outside. The thought of going to the Hunger Games always felt so surreal. It was one of those things that you never thought could happen to you, no matter how many times it happened to the people you were close to. The thought of me AND my sister being in the arena at the same time made me want to throw up. Only one of us can win. Would I turn on her? Would she turn on me? You watch enough Hunger Games to know that being in that arena for so many days can do terrible things to you. People have turned and killed allies with zero hesitation. I don't remember if there have ever been siblings in the arena, but if there was a time when that happened, it would probably be hard to forget.

The first people that come in to visit me are my friends, but I didn't want to see them. I wanted to see my parents, Max, Melanie. I wanted to go home and forget this day, or wake up and realize that it was all a dream. However, I know that if I ever got to go home again, it wouldn't be for a month, and it wouldn't be with Melanie.

My friends said nothing important to me. They did all the usual stuff we do, made a few jokes and kept assuring me I was gonna win. I had to keep a smile on my face during all of this. I don't want them to see my fear. After they had said enough, my friends leave the room in an awkward silence that has been present for a few moments. Suddenly, my parents walk in with my little brother.

"We aren't here to say goodbye," says my mom in her usual stern voice. I believe she was trying to be funny, but nobody was laughing. "He is." Max comes forward and leaps into my arms. There are tears streaming down his face. I want to cry too, but I won't show him.

"Please don't leave," he says after he stops his sobbing. I can feel my shirt getting a little wet from his crying.

"I…" I don't know what to say to him, so I pull a Mom and try to make a joke "I think your too big for me to be holding you." I gently place him on the ground. This doesn't seem to help the situation, as he starts sniffling again and hugs me.

"Listen," I decide to say, sitting down in my chair as he stands next to me. I take off his glasses and wipe his tears. "I have absolutely no desire to go, and if there was any way to get out of this I could." Max starts crying a little harder now. "Max, buddy. I need you to be strong. Knowing that you're at home being strong will help give me the strength to win." I thought this would help calm him.

"But if you win, what about Melanie?" He answers. Max is smart, he knows what is going on. Sometimes, I think he has a little too much understanding about what is going on for his age. I feel like he should be full of hope, as many little kids are, but instead he fears the world.

"Max, I don't know what will happen. All I can promise is that one of us will be home for you at the end of this," I say.

"I want both of you."

I get up from my chair and give him a hug and kiss on the head. "I wish it wasn't like this. I love you, buddy, and I want you to be strong." I turn around to look at my parents. "Can I talk to dad alone for a minute?"

"Of course," says Mom as she gives me a hug. "I will see you on the train." She takes Max's hand and takes him out of the room, as he begins to sob.

My dad comes over next to me. "What are you guys going to do with Max?" Is the first thing I ask him.

"Mrs. Soherlie is going to watch him. She came right up to us and offered when she learned that there would be nobody else home," he tells me.

We sit there in silence for a few seconds. I don't know what I wanted to talk to him privately for, but sometimes just being with him makes me feel stronger. My dad was the first winner for District 12 of the Hunger Games. He came from nothing, a long line of poor coal miners, and a father who drank himself to death. He was considered a miracle in our district, a savior. The next year, when Mom won a Quarter Quell, people across the country went crazy. When people heard of their marriage, they were known as the unstoppable couple, the ones who couldn't be defeated. They had plenty, from all the interviews and photoshoots they got, and from their combined yearly earnings from winning the Games.

So, when my brother got reaped, the media saw this as a phenomenon. He was the offspring of the unstoppable couple. It would be tough, but everyone still believed he had a great chance of winning, especially when he made it to the top eight, as most kids under 12 usually die early on. He would be the first eight-year-old, and youngest person ever, to win the games. Watching him get slaughtered on TV was heartbreaking for us, and even for the entire district. Nevertheless, I guess it still made good TV in the capital.

With Dylan's loss, my parents became known as the breakable couple. Very uncreative name, but I guess that's not the point of it. Anyway, they became known as this because for all the years they mentored together, District 12 never had a winner. Dylan was supposed to be the grand savior, the sign that the capital can't just take young children and put them with people up to 10 years older and 10 times stronger than them and get away with it. My parents never do interviews or photoshoots anymore, and they just always look sad.

Breakable.

I forgot why I wanted my dad in the room. Maybe just because I didn't want to see Max anymore and needed a subtle way to tell him to get out.

"Dad, I'm just really glad you're my mentor. I know I'll do good because of you," I say, breaking the long silence that had been there since I began my multiple thoughts.

Dad looked a little confused as to why this was so important for me to tell him in private, but he had a game once. He knows what it's like to be scared and confused. "Thanks Jake," he finally replies. "I'm gonna find a way for this all to work out." With that, he walks out of the room.

The great tributes of District 12 are no more. That was in the past, which has died down with the hope of a brighter future. I didn't want to come back here.

Melanie is going to win these games.


	3. Chapter 3

**Nothing to do, so I also did Chapter 3. Here it is.**

The train ride was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was so lush and elegant, and full of food. As a child who grew up in the Victors Village, I thought I wouldn't be seeing anything new. But this was so much more than I was used too! The people in the Capital must have it good.

Nothing happened on the train ride. Effie tried to get to know Melanie and I better, but our parents just told us to avoid her as often as we could. She was to naive to be around. This was the first time I heard my parents make a snarky remark about somebody like that. I ignored it, because from what I knew of Effie, my parents were right, and there was nothing good about her.

That night, we also had our tribute parade, and I never heard anything that loud! At first it excited me, seeing all these people, cheering for me! Then, I realized they weren't cheering for _me,_ they were cheering for my blood. Melanie looked as if she had done these a million times before. She smiled and waved and blew kisses to the crowd. A side of her I had never seen before.

Maybe she was changing faster than I thought.

…

The next morning, I wake up and go for some of the delicious Capital breakfast. I knew training was to start later today, but I pretended that I wasn't thinking about it. Training was just one step closer to the games. Apparently, my parents had different thoughts than I, and wanted to talk about the games as much as possible before we got started.

"First things first," says Dad in a stern and serious voice. I see anger in his eyes, but anger that is being driven towards the will to win. Mom has that same look in her eyes. They are holding a box of CD's, not even bothering to look at the breakfast that was so nicely prepared for us. "We are going to watch the reaping's of the tributes from the other districts."

"What?" mumbles Melanie through a mouth stuffed with food.

"Reapings can tell you a lot about a tribute and their personality," Mom cuts in. "Example, if they volunteered, then you know they want to be here and that they came to play." She is talking quicker than usual.

"I don't want to be here!" I say, raising my voice with every word spoken and slamming my fork down. That shouldn't have gotten me angry, but everything has been getting me angry.

"Do you want help or not!" yells Dad. "If you do, cut the bullshit and listen to us! We don't have to help you!" Hearing those words from my own father cut me like a knife. He seemed stressed, and I forgot that he was not at all happy about this situation either.

Mom has kept the stern look on her face the entire time. She returns to what she was saying. "If you had let me finish, Jake," she says, which annoys me even more. "You would have heard that we are going to watch the reapings in their entirety, so we will know everybody's full story."

After an awkward breakfast, we get up and go to the couch to view the reapings. It is one of those things that I feel like is just pushing me closer to the games, but in my head, I know my parents are right and it will help me win. I try to keep track of who is who.

The first four districts have career tributes, and half of them are volunteers. In District 1, a 15-year-old girl named Felicia is reaped, and an 18-year-old named Aleks volunteers, cheering his way up to the stage. Felicia doesn't look very unhappy either, with a big smile on her face. I know this will change the higher the district number is.

From District 2, there are no volunteers, even though they are the district with the most wins. They get a 17-year-old girl named Aletha, who has a wicked smile, and an excited 14-year-old boy named Onix.

District 3 is the shocking surprise. Everyone considers them the least career-like of the 4 career districts. However, a 16 year old girl named Trinitee (great thing to name your District 3 child) steps right up and volunteers, running up to the stage, even more excited than the boy from District 1. The boy reaped is 11 years old, and his name is Jack. Nobody volunteers, and I think I even heard the audience _laughing._ As of now, I don't know much about this child, but I want to find out more. There is something about hi making me wonder…

In District 4, both Tributes are volunteers. The girl is named Diamonda (to which Melanie shares a sound of disgust), and she is 18, the oldest you can be. The boy is a 16-year-old named Riker. The District 4 tributes are seemingly the most excited of the careers, running up to the stage, high fiving, and bowing as the audience cheers.

After the careers, my mind begins to drift a little, for I don't think anyone else is a big threat. However, I do my best to keep track of names and if they volunteered.

District 5 gets a girl named Macie and a boy named Kaelib. The girl from District 6 makes me cringe, a small 9-year-old who is torn away from her family by peacekeepers. The boy, Frendo, is a little older. Sadly, I don't think either stand a chance.

District 7 gets a 14-year-old girl named Keesha, who shows no emotion whatsoever, and a 16-year-old boy named Dierks.

Another surprise comes with District 8. A 17-year-old girl named Sahara volunteers, and she looks like she could be a career! She has the evil look in her eye, and anyone could tell she is out for blood. Next, an 18-year-old boy named Kenny volunteers. He goes right on stage to hug Sahara, who looks even angrier now. They don't look alike, her with her pale skin and blonde hair and him with his darker skin. I don't know what kind of history they have together.

District 9 has two young, timid teenagers reaped and forced away against their will. The girl is Sofiya and the boy is Aaron.

In District 10, we get an 18-year-old girl named Emilia and a 15-year-old boy named Jonas. In District 11, a frigid 13-year-old girl named Jaqueline, and another 13-year-old boy named Dax.

"That's enough," I say as Mom gets up to put in the tape for District 12.

She turns around. "Your father and I think every tribute should watch their own reaping to see how they-"

"I said I don't want to watch it!" I shout standing up. The last thing I want to do is relive the awful moment that brought me here. The last thing I want to do is relive the pain I feel when my sister gets reaped and when my brother gets reaped.

Dad stands up and storms over to me, raises his hand, and gives me a painful slap across my face, leaving a red mark on my cheek. "Listen Jake, I don't know what the HELL your problem is, but you need to shut up and let us coach you if you, OR YOUR SISTER, wants any chance of winning! We are helping you, get that through your thick head! Now stop being selfish, because your outbursts and interruptions are hurting not only you, but also Melanie! Understand?"

I stopped listening in the middle of what he had to say. I can't see my parents as my mentors, I can only see them as my parents. Without thinking I open my mouth and say the worst thing I could've said at that moment. "You couldn't help Dylan."

Everyone sits in silence. Mom's mouth opens a little bit, but no words come out. Dad stands there, motionless. Not knowing what to do, I run away to my room, shutting the door behind me. I lay down on my bed after punching my pillow a few times. Laying on my bead doesn't do me well enough, so I throw a pillow so that it shatters a lamp on the shelf next to my desk. The room is amazing, with a giant bed and a window taking up an entire wall. That doesn't stop me from wanting to destroy everything in it.

After my rampage, tears start to swell in my eyes. I go back to my bed and begin to cry, feeling so out of control for the first time in my life. After about ten minutes, I stop, having lost the rush of emotion that has been building up inside of me since the reaping. There is a knock on my door.

"Jake, can I come in?" It's Melanie. I want to say no, but I also need to talk to someone. And if there is anyone I can talk to, it's Melanie.

I get the door, and she walks over to the bed and sits down. Melanie doesn't like to waste time. I feel like most people would lighten the mood, commenting on the beauty of the room and the city we are in. Not Melanie. It's a subtle trait, the do-now attitude, that I think will help her in the arena.

"Mom and Dad are doing their best, you know that. You know hos stressed they must be? Both of us in the Hunger Games, and the most that can make it out is one? You have to do better to understand." This is not what I wanted to hear from her, but I know it's the truth. I hug her and start to cry again.

"I can't do this, Melanie," I whisper.

"I don't think anybody truly can. I just think some people are better at hiding that." _Yeah, and you're one of those people,_ I think. Melanie continues to talk. "I think we just need to listen to Mom and Dad. Don't think about the fact that they have never led a winner, or that they mentored Dylan. The tribute decides if they win or lose." I let go of Melanie, who starts putting her blonde hair up in a pony tail. I decide I am going to listen to her.

"Get some sleep if you need to," she says as she begins leaving the room. "We have training later, and I want to make sure they know we are the killers," she says wickedly, another side of Melanie I have never seen. "Especially Sahara."

The last part confuses me. Sahara was the evil looking girl from District 8 who volunteered, but here were a lot of careers just like her. "Why specifically her?" I ask Melanie.

This causes Melanie's jaw to drop to the floor. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN? SHARAH GRIVESON? MOJAVE GRIVESON?" she screams.

The realization hits me as soon as the words exit her mouth. I wasn't paying attention to the last names of the tributes when they were announced.

Mojave Griveson was the boy who killed Dylan.

Sarah Griveson must be his sister.

And she is back for more of my family blood.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it's been a while. Here is the training. Also, the night I'm writing this is the National Championship to all of us football fans, so go Georgia!**

The training room is different than anything I have ever seen before. Walls splashed with scarlet paint, lined with a dark black that creates a sharp contrast of light and dark, and is admittedly one of the most appealing things my eyes have every viewed. While weapons fill many corners of the room, the training center is not just dedicated to how good you are at attacking. There is strength, agility, and speed training to help improve physical skills. However, intellectual and strategical activities also fill the room, including learning how to make fires, tie knots, camouflage, identify poisonous bugs, berries, and nuts, finding shelter and making your own, and even more. It should be impossible to try everything.

My mind still rests on what I had learned hours earlier, about Sahara being related to the killer of my young brother. With the wicked look in her eye, it looked as if she wanted something so particular from these games. _Does she really want to kill more of my family? And if that, how would she even know that Melanie and I were in the games?_ These questions and many more continue to plague my mind ever since Melanie told me about the relation, which also kept me from taking my much-needed nap before this 10:00 training session. There was no need for my parents to wake me up at 6.

Atala, the head lady of the training center, gives us a brief explanation of the stations, and tells us to avoid physical contact or any form of fighting during training. I decide to go to the agility and reaction time stations first, as I consider those to be two of my weakest spots. I am joined by Dax, the young District 11 boy, Jonas, the slightly older District 10 boy, and many of the careers.

Afraid to go first, I start to back away, hoping someone else will take the lead. I accidentally back into Aleks, the very built boy from District 1. He is 18, and his height and build match his own age. The kids in career districts have much better diets than us in the outer districts, and Aleks is a perfect example.

"Hey hey hey!" Aleks says with a smirk, as I turn to face him. We are both about the same height, but he could definitely beat me in hand to hand combat. Aleks turns me around and gives me a nice pat on the shoulder. I refuse to be intimidated.

"Yeah?" I say, giving my head a slight nod. I can see Diamonda and Trinitee, the girls from 4 and 3, snickering behind Aleks.

Aleks smiles and pats me on the shoulders again. I can tell I've already gotten on his bad side. "Just… watch your step next time, ok pal?"

Pal. What a derogatory term. I don't respond, and I walk to the back of the line. I consider how stupid it was of me to get on the career's bad side less than ten minutes into my first day of training. Then, I notice the careers have gathered around the agility track. Aleks is going to run it.

He runs up the ramp, and with a swift movement jumps over a rubber wacker used by the trainers, and immediately ducks underneath another one coming at him. He jumps to the next platform, and spins to miss a wacker on his right. He completes the rest of the track with ease. The careers clap, and I see him flash me a smile. My nerves are boiling, so I push through Dax and Jonas to the front of the line.

"When your ready," says a trainer. I take a deep breath, then head up the ramp and jump over the first wacker, ducking into the second one, that just barely skims my head. My confidence builds. _I can do this! I'm just as good as any career!_ With that, I jump to the next platform, and get hit in the face with the next wacker, hard. It pushes me off the course and I fall to the mat on the ground below me. The careers stand there, laughing. All but Aleks.

"He's gonna kill you in the arena!" Shouts Felicia, Aleks's district partner, pointing to him.

"Hey hey hey," says Aleks, the same way he did when I ran into him. It must be a catchphrase of his. "We're all friends here." He flashes me another smile and turns back to the careers.

My rage has built up inside of me, and I storm over to the spear station. A big secret of mine is that Melanie and I hunt. Technically, we do not need to, since we live in the Victor's Village and have enough to eat. However, Dad did it when he was younger, and thought Melanie and I would enjoy it. Turns out we did, and when Melanie and I got old enough, we did it all on our own, almost every day. That's why I am so good with traps and differentiating poisonous plant life from edible ones. It is also why I am so good with a spear.

Melanie notices me, and comes over to where I'm standing. She looks shocked.

"What are you doing?" She asks, surprised about something.

"What do you mean, I'm showing them what I can do!" I respond, nodding over to the careers.

"You know it's a crime to hunt," Melanie explains. "How are you going to explain being so good with a spear if you grew up in District 12?"

"It's also a crime to train for the Hunger Games," I tell her matter-of-factly. "But that doesn't stop the kids in Districts 1 through 4 every single year! And it would also be good for you to show them what you can do with knives," I say. "We need sponsors, and we also might want an alliance."

Melanie stands there, arms crossed. "You know, you're going to get our entire family arrested, and maybe even killed."

"Hunting isn't even that big of a deal anymore!"

"Whatever you say." We stand there for a few seconds in silence. The careers are looking right at us. "Well, go ahead! Show them up!"

I let out a slight smile at Melanie's sudden approval. I pick up three spears, and put two in my left hand. I take a deep breath. _Relax. If you have any tension, the spear won't go where you want._ Just like my dad always told me. Without any further hesitation, I through the spears at the targets standing a few yards away. _1, 2, 3!_ All right in the center, just where I intended. I look at the careers, who have stopped snickering and instead have a look of anger on their face, including Aleks. I turn back to Melanie, and she lets out a slight smile. Then, Melanie surprises me.

She walks over to the knives, picks one up, and aligns herself with the target. Just as I did, she takes a deep breath. Before I know it, she throws the knife, with perfect form, and it hits the neck of the human target. Not the best, but Melanie isn't the one who usually does the killing while hunting. She is good, not great. I turn to look at the careers. Most have walked away, while Diamonda, Trinitee, and Riker, the District 4 boy, stand there angry. I flash a smile, one like Aleks had flashed me, and Diamonda storms over to Melanie and I, and gives me a big shove, sending me backwards a few steps. Bad idea on my part.

"So, what! You think you guys are special or something?!" Diamonda yells. "You're not the only ones who can throw weapons! What, you think you're like us! You're not special just because your mommy and daddy are victors!" She turns around, satisfied, and I pick up another spear. I throw it, right at the target. This sets Diamonda off.

Just as I had intended.

Diamonda runs back over to me, and pushes me. "You don't stand a chance in that arena, 12! I know exactly why you're here! You think you can win, just because your mommy and daddy won! Well guess what, 12! Some of us will win without mommy and daddy! Some of us…!" Riker comes and pulls her away, before she starts to get violent. She glares at me, and I realize that Diamonda is a very easily threatened person.

I can see her arguing with Riker, angry that he pulled her away. Melanie grabs me by the shoulder, and tells me to go with her. Before I can, I stop her, as the young 14-year-old from District 7, Keesha, is walking over to the archery station.

I can see the careers stop what they are doing. I here the District 2 boy, Onix, tell the group that "this should be good." Diamonda has calmed down, and is starting to smile and laugh again. I feel sorry for Keesha, about to embarrass herself in front of all those people.

"Come on Jake!" Melanie says again.

"Hold on," I say. "I just want to see this…"

"You want to see a young girl humiliate her-"

Before Melanie can finish the sentence, Keesha pulls back on the bow and lets her arrow fly. A perfect shot to the heart. I don't know what to feel except stunned. Melanie's jaw has dropped to the ground.

"How did she…" I start to ask, but I can't even finish my sentence. The young girl from District 7. Wow.

"Maybe she hunts too. You never know. People were probably just as shocked when they saw us with weapons."

Diamonda lets out a shriek from a few feet away, and kicks down a box of knives. The trainers come and pull her away. Before she is gone, Keesha walks by the careers. "You don't need a famous mommy and daddy to also be a threat," she says.

The careers are sure to not let us forget this. We have made them angry, and we will be their first targets in the arena. I have made 9 enemies now. The careers and Sahara. Maybe even 10, if Sahara has convinced that boy that was hugging on to her so tight at the reaping that I need to be killed.

"Hey Melanie," I say.

"Yeah Jake?"

"I think we should get some allies. This is going to be tough to do alone."

"Agreed," she responds without hesitation.

I will look for allies tomorrow. I spend the rest of my time in the training center trying to get myself better at agility and reaction time and camouflage. I use the fear and anger inside of me to fuel my will to improve at what I do.

10 enemies. 13 other tributes.

Maybe I will die in the initial bloodbath, and Melanie, the one who knows how to control her sarcasm and anger, will be the winner. Maybe my death will be quick and painless.

Maybe Max won't have to watch me suffer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Another training chapter. After reading over, I have noticed some stupid spelling errors I have made while typing, and I apologize. I will do my best to fix those. Also, REVIEWS! Please leave your reviews, good or bad, and give me some constructive criticism or thoughts about my story. Thanks.**

"We decided we want allies," I say, sitting down at the table with Melanie and my mentor parents.

"Good idea," Mom says. "I had allies, and they helped me get from the first part of my games to the next. They are a great way to help survive longer."

Dad gives Mom a look of uncertainty. "I'm not so sure about that, Cal." Mom looks back at him.

"What's wrong with that? It's how I survived most of my games."

"I just think that allies are a bad idea. It could be hard to kill them…" Dad stops there. I think he feels bad, knowing that Melanie and I could very well be the last two people alive. One of us would have to die. It could also be because he was very subtly revealing something about his games. Mom and Dad have never let us watch their games, or even told us what happened. We must catch little glimpses of things that they say if we want to know anything about how they panned out. From this conversation, I learn that Mom had allies, and maybe Dad did to and ended up having to kill some of his own.

Dad ends the conversation, letting Mom win this one. "So, who were you guys thinking?"

Melanie says, "I haven't really thought about it yet. I was looking around the training center today, but I didn't really see anyone. I was thinking I would decide tomorrow."

I think back to training today, and I know the things I say next will anger my parents. "I want Keesha."

"Who's Keesha?" Mom asks.

"The girl from District 7."

"That little kid? No," Dad says. "With her, all you have is a liability."

"You didn't see her-"

"No! End of discussion," Dad demands.

"Ok," I say. "How about Dax, that kid from 11"

"What?" Now I just have my parents confused. "He's even younger than that girl."

"So? I saw him in training today, and he can run fast, and he is good at climbing and is strong for his age!"

"Allies are supposed to help you, Jake. The people you have just named will only slow you down. You need to have a chance."

"Yeah well maybe they need a chance!" I say. We sit in silence for a few moments. I have found that to be happening a lot lately.

"Jake," Mom begins, softening her voice. "You know there can only be one winner. And it hurts us as parents that it can only be you or Melanie, but we want the Victor to be at least be one of _you_." There is pain in her eyes. I haven't thought much about what my parents must be going through, knowing that by the end of the week, they will see one of us, if not both, for the last time. "You can't save everybody, Jake, you just can't. And it sucks."

The only noise now is the hum of a fan that has turned on in the room. There is nothing left to say. I have been avoiding it for a long time, but Mom is right. I can't save everybody. Not younger kids, thrown to their death to soon. Not my sister. Hell, I can't even guarantee Max's safety. He still has ten more reapings to go and, win or die, I won't be able to volunteer for him again if he gets reaped.

"Excuse me," I say. And for the second time in the day, I find myself walking away to my room.

…

I am allowed to sleep until 9:30 today, and report to the second day of training at 10. Melanie and I decide we will look for allies while we train today. I start by scouting people at the weapons stations, and Melanie goes over to the strength, agility, and speed stations. The only thing I get at the weapons are the careers and some people who are mediocre to plain out awful at using weapons. Macie and Kaelib, the District 5 tributes, prove to be good at electrical wiring, setting up a circuit they use to electrocute and burn the training dummies to a crisp. Their district is power. They would be good at that.

Aaron from District 9 tries his best with a knife against a training dummy, but he misses a mark almost every single time. I notice Dierks, the boy from District 7, is good with an axe, if he is close to his target. Before he gets a good chance to show off his skills, however, he is stopped by Felicia. He immediately gives up his axe to her, which baffles me, because she cannot currently hurt him. _Maybe he is just being smart, unlike you, and trying not to make an enemy._ I push my thoughts away and watch Felica throw her axe, from which she hits the target dead in the center of the chest.

The other tributes clear away, but I stay for another minute to observe what weapons the careers specialize in. Careers tend to be good with every weapon, but usually pick the one that they are best at. Aleks uses a sword, Felicia sticks to throwing axes and knives. The District 2 tributes, Aletha and Onix, use a bow and arrow and throwing knives. Diamonda makes her own hooks, to witch she throws right into where the vital organs and arteries would be in the dummy. For my sake, I assume, she also uses spears. Riker uses a trident, and Trinitee proves to be very lethal with throwing knives. I make a mental note to myself to watch out for knives.

Another surprising thing I notice is the young 11-year-old from District 3, Jack. He attempts to impress his fellow tributes by creating an electric wire, that he fastens to his belt, able to be coiled and uncoiled at will. He throws the wire to the dummy, and I see that he is going to attempt to electrocute it. However, his aim is off, and he misses the dummy. Aletha storms over to him.

"Do you want allies or not?!" she yells.

"We only want people who can actually HELP us," says Riker, getting in his face.

"I… I know. I was just trying…" Jack stutters, but he doesn't get to finish.

"Listen, _pal,_ " says Alek cutting in. "I don't care what you were trying to do. But if you want to be our ally, you better actually DO something." Alek, losing his calmness, gives Jack a little shove, then walks back to the sword, where he slashes a dummy in half. Jack gets up, and sadly walks back to what he was doing. I remember the crowd of children laughing at Jack during the reaping. He is young. He has not had as much training as the other careers. It answers his inability to master weapons, but not why they laughed at him.

I wander around the training center for a while, checking a few things out, then go back to the weapons once the careers clear out. I practice alone with my spears for a while, when suddenly, Keesha joins me.

Keesha and I practice our own weapons in silence. I am still simply stunned at how good she is with a bow and arrow. She can hit any target, moving or still, and does not take long to aim her bow. I don't care what my parents say. She is good.

"Uh, hey," I start awkwardly. I never thought I would be making allies. "I saw you shoot yesterday. You're really good."

Keesha stands there for a second before answering. "Thanks," she finally says, without even a hint of emotion. Just like in her reaping. I think she is going to go back to shooting, giving up hope that she could be an ally, that she is to much of a lone wolf type to want allies. Then she speaks. "You're really good with a spear. Where did you learn that from?"

"Oh! I uh…" I try to think of a legal explanation. "I just kind of picked it up, you know. Must run in my family blood."

"Oh, well, I learned how to use my bow and arrow by hunting," Keesha says casually. It makes me cringe to hear her admit that she takes part in an illegal activity, even though yesterday I made it seem like I didn't care if people found out. Maybe because _I_ wasn't blatantly admitting it.

"Wha… Keesha…" I struggle to find a response. "Just… how could you just admit that? Hunting is a crime you know."

"Yeah, but what are they going to do? They can't kill me. They need me for their little game." She picks up her bow and shoots another arrow.

"What if you win?" I ask. Keesha finally shows some emotion, but this time it is sad. She brushes it away, quickly, like she doesn't want anyone to see she has any doubt in her mind that she will win. But I caught it.

"If… _If_ I win, the capital isn't going to hurt their victor. Plus, I'm not going to have to hunt anymore, with the fortune promised to us." I think about that for a moment. Technically, I've never had to hunt. With two victors as parents, there is never any worry about not having enough to eat. The only reason I did it was because it was my escape, a place where I could be alone for a while with just me and the world. A place where I felt ordinary, not the product of two of the world's most famous survivors. I don't think I would ever stop hunting, even if I won. Keesha probably doesn't understand that if she wins. _If._

"Listen, Keesha," I finally say. I think we would be good together, as allies. Me, you, my district partner, Melanie, and whoever you want. If you want your district partner you could-"

"Dierks can barely do anything with an axe," she cuts in forcefully. "He can hit a target about two feet away. We don't need him. I'll be your allies, Jake. I think me you, and your sister with the knives can do good together."

Surprised at the quick response, I say "Whoa, that's… that's great! Ok. We are allies. Its settled."

"Yeah, it is," Keesha says, turning back to the target. "Now, leave me alone. I'm focusing."

"Ok, uh, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I walk away from the targets to let Keesha have her peace. I decide to take a stop at the station where they teach you how to make your own weapons. I decide this will be valuable if I do not take anything from the Cornucopia.

I am learning how to make a bow and arrows out of sticks, string, and feathers, when I notice somebody sits down next to me. I look up, and see the pale white skin and curly dirty blonde hair. _Sahara._ I struggle with myself for a second, then decide to get up and walk away. As I start to move, a voice comes from behind me.

"Don't act like this isn't happening," says Sahara. I turn around to face her. She wants a confrontation. She wants me to be afraid. I decide to play dumb.

"Uh, what?" is my response.

Sahara doesn't look up from what she is doing. "Don't play dumb, Jake. I know who you are, and I know you know who I am."

"I know your Sahara, from District 8." I really don't want to do this.

"Say my last name,"

"Why," I respond a little too quickly.

"You very well know why." She finally stands up to face me. "The district 12 reapings happened about an hour before the ones in District 8. News travels fast in Panem." I hold my ground, not letting my expression shift. I drop the dumb person act, deciding I have to many questions for this girl.

"Your last name is Griveson," I say calmly. She _won't_ scare me.

"And yours is Demener." She goes over and picks up a little dart from the place she was making her weapon. "And for as long as I can remember, that name has been stuck in my head." She comes back so we are face to face. "The name of the family that is the reason my brother is dead."

That shocked me. How are _we_ the reason her brother is dead? If anything, _her family_ is the reason my brother is dead! He literally killed him! Dylan was already dead before her brother died!

"You know that's not true."

"I know what I saw on TV all those years ago! I know that if your brother hadn't made her, that girl from 11 wouldn't have killed Mojave!"

 _Made her?!_ The girl did that because Mojave killed Dylan! Sahara was obviously deranged. She was insane!

"Now Jake," she says. I listen, with the expression on my face shifting from expressionless to angry. "Isn't the one thing everyone wants in life revenge?" With that, Sahara turns around and uses the blowgun she made to shoot the target. It hits very close to the center of the chest.

Sahara might be an even bigger threat than the careers.


End file.
